The Psychology of the Sweep
As a sports fan, is there anything more disheartening than a sweep? It’s great when your team is dealing it out but if you really care, it’s like a knife in the kidney when it happens to your guys. Everything that has gone into the season and then it’s all gone in 3 or 4 games.
So, I feel bad for all those fans out there of the Cardinals, Twins and Red Sox. Ok, not really so much for Red Sox fans. And really, the Cardinals won the whole thing at the expense of my team just a couple years ago so not really them so much either. And the Twins are division rivals so I guess I can’t really say I’m all that sorry for their fans. But, I do understand that it is not a fun feeling.
The thing is, a sweep isn’t just a defeat, it’s a smack across the face. It says that in a best of five or seven game series, you couldn’t even win one of those games. And while winning one might not be all that pretty or that meaningful, at least it shows you did something right. But not winning a single game? That just says you probably shouldn’t have even been there.
So, to all the heart-broken fans of the Cards, Twins and Sox out there, let me say this. You may not have actually deserved to be there this year but, just like Cubs fans, you always have next year.
-A
Credit:
-Image from SawxBlog. Irony not intended but definitely appreciated.
Red State Blue State
LOL…had to take a second look for said irony.
And well snarked, Sir, well snarked.
:^)
–Jonestein
http://jonestein.mlblogs.com
Why did they misspell “Johnny” in that picture? Anyone? Anyone?????
–Jeff
Ha.. and every year thereafter for you Cub fans : )
buz – http://buzblog.mlblogs.com/
Jesus hates the Cubs, what else can we say? From the hit youtube video… (loved it
to the true facts of Milton Bradley. That’s what they deal with.
Ted
http://tribewithted.mlblogs.com/
Jeff – beats the Kansas City outta me. The Ralph Macchio nemesis trivia portion of my brain was killed off years ago by excessive alcohol consumption and watching too much South Park.
–Jonestein
http://jonestein.mlblogs.com
Oh we Red Sox fans who are “of a certain age” know all too well the concept of “waiting until next year”.
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
“You may not have actually deserved to be there this year but, just like Cubs’ fans, you always have next year.”
You can add the Tribe to the “Next year” list.
http://Clevelandbaseball.mlblogs.com
to answer Jeff’s question… it was done by a redsox fan obviously…that alone should tell you why…. doh!!!
~peter
Outside the Phillies Looking In
http://devilabrit.mlblogs.com
Sweeps means that the stars weren’t aligned for a team, not that they didn’t belong in the postseason. That’s just IMO.
http://catlovesthedodgers.mlblogs.com
Ouch! I feel sorry for all those fans…I know how it feels. Hopefully, I won’t know it at all this year :O)
Jenn
http://philliesphollowers.mlblogs.com/
Maybe there needs to be a new word for the term “sweep.” Something less dismissive and broom-ish. Unfortunately, I can’t think of anything. So “sweep” it is.
- http://janeheller.mlblogs.com
A,
I agree with you that there is nothing more disheartening than a sweep.
I love the book “Wait Till Next Year” by Doris Kearns. You feel like you are there in the 50′s when New York had three baseball team.s
.
Found this by a poster in the ITD blog:
//Interesting that each of the four divisional series turned on a closer melt down: Franklin game 2, Nathan game 2, Papelbon game 3, Street game 4. By kahliforni //
Emma
http://crzblue.mlblogs.com/
That sweep came out of nowhere.
With the Dodgers having that rough spell even winning their division, it looked like a classic 5-game series was going to decide the Cards and Dodgers match-up.
But a funny thing happened in L A, the team clicked and rolled to a 2-0 lead, then went into Busch Stadium and proved why you have to respect the Blue this playoff season.
Only one Blue team left in the playoffs. Two wear pinstripes, and the other wears a halo.
Should be fun to watch both of these series becuase it is on now…….like Donkey Kong!
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
I’m trying to find out when Papelbon decided to attend Brad Lidge’s Choke-Job Academy! Hmmm!… Not so much, Pap!